Welcome Distraction
by ParamoreXO
Summary: She feels as if they've gone through this before.


**Summary: She feels as if they've gone through this before.**

**Character Dynamics: Artemis, Kid Flash**

**Episode: #14, "Revelation"**

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><p>His body is battered and bruised and a pain as rapid and blistering as wildfire spreads through his right arm. Still disoriented from Vertigo's assault on his mind and Black Adam's ruthless blow, he remains still. Maybe if he lets the pain seep in, he'll turn numb and unfeeling to it all. His eyelids, heavy with anger and distress, stay closed. They don't want to open.<p>

"Hey, Kid, come on!" Crouching next to her fallen teammate, Artemis hooks an arm under his armpit to assist him to his feet. She nearly withdraws, however, upon seeing his anguished expression amplify tenfold. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing," His reply is nearly a snarl through gritted teeth.

Glancing down at their intertwined arms, she notices a splatter of murky crimson on her bare skin. The wet patch on his uniform that she had assumed was mud was actually a deep gash. "You're hurt."

His eyes open and his pinched up expression morphs into that of frustration. "I'm fine."

Fastening her arm more tightly around his injured limb, she yanks him to his feet. Any sentiment of remorse at his tormented yell was nonexistent. "Alright, if you're _fine _then let's do a little tag team on Vertigo. M'Gann needs the help."

Glancing over at the mind warping Count, his eyes narrow as M'Gann succumbs to his tormenting. Looking back towards the archer, the mischievous gleam in his bright eyes is unmistakable. "I'll distract, you smash his ugly mug in, and I'll back you up if needed."

Nodding in approval, Artemis watched as he dashed in the direction of their victim. Clipping her bow to her belt, she was quick to pursue the speedster. With each charging step, mud flew up around her, matting the ends of her ponytail, dampening the fabric of her uniform. All her focus, however, zeroed in on Count Vertigo. Currently, the villain was stumbling about mid-turn, desperate to catch the balance he had lost to Kid Flash's sudden snag at his cape. Taking advantage of his bewildered state, she aimed towards his perplexed visage and lashed out in a vicious scissor kick. The instant she felt her muddy boot connect with his face, she rode out the force of the jab with satisfaction. Swiftly landing, she watched as he soared through the air and into Poison Ivy, causing the two to collapse in a muddy heap.

She didn't bother to hear the villainess' whining over her weathered condition. Instead, she sprinted in the direction Wally had run. Spotting his splash of fiery hair rounding the bulk of a tree trunk, she trailed after him and snatched at the torn fabric clutched to his damaged side.

"Hey! That's my souvenir!" Startled by her advance, he tried to ignore the delicious heat of her breath as she leaned into his shoulder to cross the fabric over his chest. Puzzled by her intentions, he squirmed beneath her in an attempt to grab his torn memento back.

"Hold still," she advised, hands swiftly slipping around his neck. Honestly, he hadn't been sure of what to expect from her at that point, given their compromised position. But when he realized her eyes were on the fabric and her hands were working a knot, a mixture of feelings overwhelmed him as he comprehended that she wasn't diving in for a kiss. By then, relief and disappointment were impossible to distinguish.

As she pulled away, he averted his eyes towards her handiwork, welcoming the distraction. The sting of the wound might have been elevated only slightly, but any sort of liberation in battle was relief enough. Still, he was dumbfounded. Had Artemis really just played Nurse for him?

She stood across from him, maybe waiting for his reaction, maybe marveling at the deed herself. Acutely aware that words of gratitude, no matter how simple, should have been indebted to her by now, he nearly expressed his thanks when a bestial roar cut him off. His eyes shot to where she had been standing only to find Wolf crash into her, sending the pair sprawling through the air.

"Artemis!" He reached out to her fallen form, only to realize a fist was mere inches away from connecting with his face. Ducking out of harm's way, he escaped in a tech roll as his attacker's knuckles grounded into the tree bark. "Hey, Artemis, come on!" Clasping the archer's hand, he pulled her to her feet with his free arm, ready to run off when he realized the look she was giving him. It was distant and dreamy, a haze of thought clouding over the dark pigment of her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Shaking her head, a familiar smile tinged her lips. "Major déjà vu." Gripping her bow and reaching into her quiver, she notched an arrow with the cool efficiency of a soldier. "Let's go, one-armed-wonder."

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><p><strong>AN: For those of you who are confused by the "déjà vu" line, Artemis had said and done the same thing for Wally in the beginning of this fic when helping him up. So, same situation.**

**Anyways, this fic was mainly prompted by my curiosity of why Wally needed a sling in the first place. I love writing implied scenes… A review would be appreciated!**


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